Mumbai Metro schools Varun Dhawan over hanging stunt in train, issues safety warning

Mumbai Metro took a swipe on Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan for performing a stunt inside metro train.

The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL) has publicly called out Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan after a video showing him hanging from an overhead grab handle inside a metro coach went viral on social media. The incident occurred during the actor’s promotional activity for a film and has triggered a wider conversation around safety, celebrity influence, and accountability in public transport.

In the viral clip, Varun Dhawan is seen holding onto one of the overhead hand straps while standing inside a moving metro train. He is also heard encouraging people around him to attempt the same act, treating it as a light-hearted challenge. However, the metro authority was quick to flag the behaviour as unsafe and inappropriate for a public transport system used by thousands daily.

This video should have come with a disclaimer like the ones in your action movies, @Varun_dvn - Do Not Try This On Maha Mumbai Metro

We get it, it is cool to hang out with friends inside our metros but those grab handles are not for hanging. Acts like these are punishable… pic.twitter.com/XiCP8OF8wT — Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (@MMMOCL_Official) January 26, 2026

Responding on X, MMMOCL issued a strongly worded statement directed at the actor. The metro body said the video should have carried a disclaimer similar to those seen in action films, warning viewers not to imitate such acts. It clarified that grab handles are designed strictly for support and balance, not for hanging, and stressed that such behaviour puts both the individual and fellow passengers at risk.

The metro authority further warned that acts causing nuisance or potential damage to metro property are punishable under provisions of The Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002. Depending on the severity, violations could attract penalties and even imprisonment. Urging commuters to act responsibly, MMMOCL added a clear message: passengers are welcome to travel, but stunts inside metro coaches are unacceptable.

As the video continued to circulate online, many users questioned whether the rules would be enforced uniformly. Several people demanded to know if Varun Dhawan had been fined, arguing that laws should apply equally to celebrities and the general public. One user said the incident should serve as a deterrent, while another questioned why a fine had not been immediately imposed if the act was indeed punishable.

Others warned that such behaviour by public figures could encourage imitation. “Now people will start doing the same thing because an actor did it,” one user wrote, underlining concerns that celebrity actions, even casual ones, can influence public behaviour.